China Denies SMIC Report Sent Chipmaking Equipment to Iran

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian at a press conference in Beijing on Monday, February 24, 2025. (ANTARA - Desca Lidya Natalia)

JAKARTA - The Chinese government has strongly denied reports that its largest semiconductor company, Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC), has sent chip-making equipment to Iran. The Straits Times quoted Friday, March 27, reporting that Beijing called the news "false information" amid the escalating war triggered by the US-Israeli attack on Iran.

The report, which was denied, quoted two unnamed senior officials in the administration of US President Donald Trump. In the report, SMIC is said to have started sending equipment to Iran about a year ago. An American official even said they had no reason to believe that shipments had stopped.

However, when asked at a regular press conference in Beijing on March 27, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian admitted that he did not know the details of the case. Even so, he immediately attacked the credibility of the circulating report.

"All I can say is that recently some media have been very keen to release news that seems to be true, but is actually wrong," Lin said.

According to The Straits Times, Lin also stated that after being verified, such reports were proven to be false information. However, he did not elaborate on the basis of the verification in question.

As of March 27, SMIC had not responded to AFP.

China's position in the Iran conflict remains sensitive. Beijing is known as an important partner of Tehran, but so far it has not announced military assistance to Iran since the war broke out on February 28. At the same time, China has repeatedly called for a ceasefire.

Beijing also condemned the killing of Iran's supreme leader Ali Khameini by the US and Israel. But China at the same time expressed disagreement with Iran's attacks on Gulf countries that are home to US military bases.

Senior Chinese diplomat Wang Yi, in a telephone conversation with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi this week, wrote The Straits Times, said all parties need to seize every opportunity to start a peace negotiation process.

This case shows that in the midst of an ever-widening war, disputes over information also become part of political and diplomatic battles.